


Eulogy

by musikurt



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-16
Updated: 2012-03-16
Packaged: 2017-11-03 06:04:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/378114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musikurt/pseuds/musikurt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kingsley closes out the funeral for Severus Snape.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eulogy

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the line "I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him".

"I come to bury Severus, not to praise him."

Kingsley's words caused many of those present to stiffen in their seats. Everyone who had spoken before had listed off all of the courageous moments they recalled from Snape's life. They had heard about how he never wavered in his support of the Order, even though it meant doing things that might be seen as less than honourable. But most of all, they had heard repeatedly about a man who lived a tough life but never ceased in his loyalty to the one(s) he loved.

"Don't get me wrong," Kingsley continued, "there is no doubt in my mind that Severus Snape was a brave and honourable man. You all have heard more testimony to that fact than would ever be needed to convince even the most skeptical Wizengamot of that fact. But at the same time, Severus was a humble man. While he might not mind that we remember him with fondness and that we focus on the good that came of his life, I'm certain even he would say his deeds were unworthy of all this praise."

Kingsley studied the crowd for a moment. There were still hints of unease around the room. He knew some likely thought he was speaking ill of the dead, but he believed this needed to be said.

"You see, none of you were supposed to know the whole story. It wasn't that Severus necessarily wanted to be remembered as an evil man, but he did what he did with no promise or desire of recognition or glory. And while it was indeed he who decided, in the end, to share the truth with Mister Potter, I firmly believe that was to bolster him in the face of battle - and NOT so that we would come back days later and spend hours raising Severus Snape up onto the highest pedestal. He did things that make us cringe - let us not forget. But let us also remember that sometimes, to achieve a greater end, man must sometimes do things that make him uncomfortable."

He took a deep breath. He worried that perhaps he had now gone a bit too far in his comments.

"These will not be easy days ahead as we try to rebuild that which has been damaged and we work to move on into a new era. We must remember those who gave their lives that we might be here today. And we must not forget that there are very likely more who were involved in getting us to this point than we will never know. The darkest days might be past, but we have not yet come into the light, my friends."

Kingsley grabbed his glass off the lectern and raised it toward the crowd.

"Tonight, we honour Severus Snape and the man he was - both the good and the bad. But insofar as we honour all of those who were lost to the darkness."

 

Curtis/Ravenclaw/17 points


End file.
